Topic: Xmas lunch - Indian anyone?

[George]

I know many of you appear to cook curries quite often but is anyone going as far as ditching a turkey or other traditional fare, in favour of a BIR type spread of food on 25 Dec?

[Stephen Lindsay]

George this is a great question and I have to admit I have seriously considered it, however I have so far resisted on the grounds that I can have curry any time so have chosen to have more traditional fare. In the recent past my children having elected to spend Christmas Day with their mother, with whom they still live, dad never seems to get a look in but that's a different issue.

Each year when I think I might spend Christmas Day alone, (and the chance therefore of having curry increases) something crops up and I find myself having an arrangement with others, for which I am thankful. I do recall a Pat Chapman recipe in one of books but can't remember which one but it may have been Tandoori Roast Turkey?

Anyway to return your question - have you gone as far as ditching traditional food for something more BIR?

[Mattie]

Its Xmas dinner at work tomorrow but instead of the traditional turkey and spread, muggings here volunteered to make a madras, dhal, saag paneer, naan, mushroom pilau and poppadoms for 10 hungry blokes - so actually 20 normal portions I reckon! 

I made the Madras today (in 5 batches) all into one big pot, the naan dough has been punched down and is in the fridge and the paneer is marinading. 

We will be having crackers on the table though!! 

For me its just got to be turkey on the 25th though, if I was to have a curry it would have to be a take-away so no scrubbing pans...

[Gav Iscon]

Had BIR on xmas day for the last 11 years (this will be the 12th). As I invariably used to work Xmas day or Xmas night it would be either sit in if it was nights and takeaway which was dropped off when they closed around 6 pm if I worked days. Now being retired its sit -in and we've ordered the Chefs special leg of Lamb this year with a few extra dishes as there'll be 6 of us. I'll try and remember to take some photos this year. Up to now this year, I've already had 2 Xmas dinners and are having a buffet style one again tomorrow so that was the sort of thing behind why we started going to the Indians on Xmas day along also with the work commitments.

New Years eve will be curry as well for which I'll probably cook in advance.

[Stephen Lindsay]

Had BIR on xmas day for the last 11 years (this will be the 12th). As I invariably used to work Xmas day or Xmas night it would be either sit in if it was nights and takeaway which was dropped off when they closed around 6 pm if I worked days. Now being retired its sit -in and we've ordered the Chefs special leg of Lamb this year with a few extra dishes as there'll be 6 of us. I'll try and remember to take some photos this year. Up to now this year, I've already had 2 Xmas dinners and are having a buffet style one again tomorrow so that was the sort of thing behind why we started going to the Indians on Xmas day along also with the work commitments.

New Years eve will be curry as well for which I'll probably cook in advance.

Impressed!

[Peripatetic Phil]

No, Christmas Day has to be traditional for me -- turkey, goose, or similar.  A curry on Boxing Day would not go amiss, though ...

** Phil.

[chewytikka]

Not my first choice, but a big family affair, 25th, Traditional Xmas Lunch with an Italian Restaurant twist.
But the rest of festive season will be Curry Curry Curry.

[livo]

Being the middle of summer here (often up to 40'C plus), we like many others, have opted for a mainly cold lunch.  Seafood Christmas lunch has become very normal in Oz, although a lot still do trad turkey etc.

Our lunch now usually / always includes:
Smoked Leg Ham sliced from the bone, (many households buy a 10 kg whole leg at this time of year)
several kg of class A prawns.  Schoolies, Crystal Bays, Tigers or Kings (or all 4)
cold roast or rotisserie bbq chicken and pork.
fresh Sydney Rock Oysters w/ sea salt, pepper and LJ.  (sometimes some cooked ones as well Kilpat' &/or Opera)
Blue Swimmer Crab (usually caught by me so I'd better get out there in the next 48 hrs)
Several different salads
and the only hot cooked fare is beer-battered fish cocktails and potato chippies but these are a given.
A variety of Seafood Sauces and condiments.
Nuts, candies and cheeses

Deserts are more traditional with Xmas pudding, custard, trifle, ice cream. etc.

This follows from breakfast, which is usually fried leg ham and eggs, but needless to say that since lunch usually sits for 3 - 4 hours we don't eat much dinner.

We used to have more traditional roast foods on occasions depending on whose family we ended up with for the day, but the kitchen is not a place to be on hot Christmas days.

So No to curries for Christmas.

[Kashmiri Bob]

On my own over the festive period so will be doing some fine dining.  Tandoori sea bass for starters. Ex-hot shikari bater (quail curry) for the main.

Rob 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Sorry to hear you'll be alone, Bob (unless you prefer it that way); maybe next year we can open a thread "Alone at Christmas" where those who would otherwise be alone can announce the fact and their location, allowing other members who live within reasonable travelling distance to offer an invitation if they wish ...

** Phil.

P.S.  Presumably "shikari bater" is quail served in extra hot J